Grrrl power kicking back into life
Kat Waswo and Lauren Mann have first-hand experience of what it’s like to be women in the entertainment industry.
The Hamilton residents, who recently completed communications degrees at Wintec, have been performers for many years, and agree that ‘‘women aren’t recognised or respected in the industry’’.
It is an issue recently highlighted by a months-long Stuff investigation that uncovered allegations by women and non-binary people of harassment by male artists, international acts and executives – and prompted an extraordinary admission and apology from one of the industry’s best-known names.
Scott Maclachlan, the man who discovered Lorde at age 13 and took her to international superstardom, admitted years of harmful behaviour and said he was in intensive psychotherapy.
A group of the biggest names in New Zealand music, including Lorde, Bic Runga, Anika Moa, Anna Coddington and Tami Neilson, subsequently released an open letter urging industry leaders and workers to examine their own behaviour.
When Waswo’s friend Gwyn
Barrie came up with the idea for Grrrl Fest – a music and arts festival with a kaupapa of inclusion for women and gender non-binary artists – she jumped at the opportunity to be involved.
The festival was conceived as a response to a lack of female and gender non-binary representation in Hamilton’s music scene, and has grown to encompass visual arts, performance and a maker’s market.
According to Waswo, the festival was ‘‘inspired by the ’90s feminist movement Riot Grrrl, that came out of the punk scene. The festival is Barrie’s brainchild, and it was born out of the realisation that women still aren’t getting on the bills for shows – they’re still being disrespected and harassed’’.
Happening from March 5 to 7 in downtown Hamilton, Grrrl Fest is being celebrated to align with International Women’s Day on Monday, March 8. It will be staged in conjunction with other events that weekend, including the Hamilton Boon Street Art Festival – which this year has a theme of ‘‘mana wa¯ hine’’ – and the Saw Wave outdoor music concert at Victoria on the River.
The theme for International Women’s Day this year is ‘‘#ChoosetoChallenge’’. Waswo said this was an ‘‘uncannily amazing hashtag, considering what’s happening with this profound number of women coming forward about sexual harassment in the entertainment industry, both here and overseas’’.
With classmate Mann – a dancer and performer with years of stage and event experience, and now communications manager at Creative Waikato – Waswo and the Grrrl Fest organisers devised the idea of a ‘‘variety cabaret’’ that Mann will direct.
‘‘Being a woman in this industry means you are constantly finding yourself in situations where you’re having to prove to male gatekeepers your capability in doing your job,’’ Mann said.
‘‘There’s a massive pool of phenomenal female talent here ...
Hamilton’s music industry has really suffered over the past 10 or so years. The retention rates for youth here are so low. Heaps of music venues have closed down, and the music scene here is so small and niche, but not in a good way.’’
The R18 cabaret show will take place at Biddy’s Back Bar on Friday, March 5, from 8pm. Tickets are available from ticketspace.nz.
The following night, Nivara Lounge will play host to six bands and acts – Empress, Tooms, Cootie Cuties, Team Squad, Iris G, and Scarlett Lashes. Some of these can be seen from midday that day, on a stage in Liverpool St, where the Boon mural artists will also be working.